U.S. Probes Israel for Refugee Camp Strike, Using White Phosphorus
MISUSE OF WEAPONS
The U.S. is investigating Israel for potentially misusing weapons provided by the United States in its indiscriminate bombing of civilians, and its use of white phosphorus in Lebanon, according to The Wall Street Journal. Investigators suspect that Israel used a 2,000-pound bomb which could’ve been provided by the U.S. to strike Jabalia refugee camp in October. The strike, which killed more than 125 civilians could be a war crime, according to the United Nations Human Rights Office. The U.S. is also investigating several reports that Israel excessively used white phosphorus in Lebanon, which could also be a war crime. Lebanon’s Environment Minister Nasser Yassin said that soil samples taken from the south of Lebanon contained an abnormally high level of white phosphorus. Despite the fact that the U.S. provided Israel with the chemical weapon, a U.S. official said Israel has been strongly cautioned against using it. As this probe was launched, the Biden administration continued to assert that it was not investigating the possibility of war crimes committed by Israel in their brutal military campaign in Gaza.